The Punter / Steven Rawlings / 24 November 2008 / 1

Wilson wilts again, McIlroy mans-up and the Punter gets a lesson in the subtleties of Sinology. But the drama is so intense, and some of the play so impressive, that even as a big priced winner slips from his grasp, our man can only watch and applaud.

It looked like it was bubbling up nicely after the cut and I'd fancied it might be a cracker but I couldn't have imagined the drama that unfolded in Hong Kong.

As the third day came to a close on Saturday morning, I somehow managed to lay most of my Richard Sterne bet back at [20.0]. Finishing up on the last hole at the time, he was a skinny looking [34.0] with the books so somebody must have been half asleep. I was able to back him back again later at [70.0]!

Not that I particularly benefited. I used the returned stake and more to back Jeev Milkha Singh at [12.5] and by the time I got up at 5.30am yesterday that was a done deal as he'd bogeyed three on the spin from the third hole. I just can't seem to catch Jeev on the right day.

With Sterne giving way on Saturday and Singh going AWOL early doors yesterday, both my in running picks were losers and my only hope was Francesco Molinari, backed from the outset at [60.0].

Molinari had started the day alongside Singh, Larrazabal and Rory McIlroy on -10, three behind overnight leader Oliver Wilson who, at -10, led Chinese Taipei's Lin Wen-tang by a shot; with Bernard Langer a further shot back on -11. At 51, Langer was aiming to be the oldest ever European Tour winner.

Molinari had started well enough but always looked a shot or two too far back until he eagled the 13th hole to take a share of the lead and when he followed up with a birdie on the next he hit the front. But with the adrenalin surging he hit a massive three wood on the next tee, the ball took a huge first bounce and ran into the ditch that runs across the fairway and he made bogey.

Oliver Wilson wilted tamely again with three bogeys in a row from the 15th and it looked like the title would go to either Lin Wen-tang, who hadn't been far from the lead all day, or Rory McIlroy, who after a lacklustre third round had birdied the last three holes on Saturday to get back in the mix.

But mercifully, Molinari birdied the penultimate hole and it was a three way play-off, the first one at the Hong Kong Open in its fifty year history. Indeed, Molinari could have won it in regulation play; his birdie putt at the last somehow stayed above ground though.

After the three players had driven off at the first play-off hole, I layed Molinari back at [2.48] to cover the week's stakes. He was in the rough and a long way from the green. Lin Wen-tang had driven into the trees and traded at [20.0] and McIlroy was odds on, having drilled a cracker down the fairway. When my man's second shot landed about 12 feet from the hole it looked like I'd been too hasty in laying off but incredibly he finished up the furthest out!

Lin Wen-tang hit a miracle shot to six feet and McIlroy's wedge was magnificent, inches away. Molinari missed and the other two made theirs.

Then it was McIlroy's turn to find the trees and Lin Wen-tang's to find the perfect drive. McIlroy's second shot was a fantastic hook that stopped abruptly, about 14 feet from the pin. But incredibly, Lin Wen-tang stepped up and knocked his wedge to within a few inches and when McIlroy couldn't convert it was all over.

Sky's Rob Lee described it as 'Unbelievable, the best play-off I've ever seen ever, bar none. It just had everything in it.' I'm not going to argue with him. The fact that I'd just narrowly failed to cop a [60.0] winner had already been forgotten in all the drama.

To summarise - Wilson was woeful again. McIlroy is now the real deal, he's gone from boy to man in one week and, after losing the event in Switzerland due to inexperience, was beaten fair and square this time and can now be trusted in contention. He will win plenty and probably soon.

Molinari can still be described as infuriating-to-follow but was better than he has been and made some brave putts in the mix yesterday. As for the winner, well, I'd looked at him before the event.

Not being completely au fait with Asian Tour form I'd read up about him when looking for the profile of the similarly named Lin Keng-chi, runner up here in 2005. So I knew he'd gone nine years on the Asian Tour before winning, that he was 34 and that he'd won once in each of the last three seasons.

I'd read up on the wrong player. Maybe it had been a sign. Maybe I'd been mysteriously led to his profile by a guardian angel? Or maybe I'm just pants at reading Chinese names.

Anyway, this victory takes him to second in the Asian Tours money list and gives him an almost three year exemption on the European Tour and good luck to him I say.

In Japan, my sole pick, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, struggled during his third round and then rallied to finish third behind Thailand's Prayed Marksaeng, who wasn't winning out of turn after playing well the last few weeks.

It's a busy week next week with the Australian Masters, the World Cup of Golf, the LG Skins game and the Casio World Open in Japan. I can't imagine for one minute we'll see anything akin to this week's drama but you never know.

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1. Dean | 24 November 2008

   Hi Steve, unlucky week for both of us then? I would of thought one of us would win in that playoff, because I must admit I had never heard of "Lin Wen Tang" But anyway it wasn't to be for young Rory, he was slightly unlucky his recovery shot in the play off was brilliant, but Tang's was even better, and deserved to win it in the end! I can't really complain as i had a nice e/w bet on Rory, but unfortuanetley it just wasn't his turn to win yet... As for Molinari he was rather unlucky aswell, but still proved there's always something with him and he can't quite get over the line, definitely not one of my favourites! Neither is Ollie Wilson, yet again another perfect chance to win, even opened up a 3 shot lead at one point, but then hit some pathetic shots when it mattered and he goes on the
   "One to avoid list" even though I think he will eventually win, I may even back him, but I think I will wait until he goes out in price maybe after a few average results or missed cuts and then hope he can surprise and get a win, because I just couldn't back him at the moment whilst he is likely to be very short each week, but if he wins at a short price then fair enough, but I won't be that bothered. I'll look forward to reading your thoughts on this week's events! At first glance I have to say I fancy Spain this week in the World Cup, but I won't decide any bets until Wednesday!

   P.S I see Gonzo had a good final round in Japan, very unlucky there shame his 3rd round was a poor one, he's only finished 2 behind in the end! Can I ask do you back any of your Golfers e/w? Or in the Top 5 or Top 10 markets, or do you go for it in the win market only?

   Cheers
   

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